How do I get my Galaxy S5 camera to focus?

[Charles Zigmund]

Galaxy S5 camera not focusing

The camera in my new Galaxy S5 will not focus. A fix for this which I've seen several places on the web is: "You have to clear the camera app cache if you want from your camera app to take good quality photos and to focus correctly. To do this go to Settings > Application Manager > All Apps and then find the Camera app. Click on it and clear cache. This is like a factory reset for your camera." However, When I go to Settings > Applications > Application Manager (I must take the extra middle step to get there; perhaps my phone is a later model), I do not see anything called All Apps and cannot find the camera app there.

The camera is really no good if all the pictures are out of focus. Please advise...thanks.

 

[Travo79]

Re: Galaxy S5 camera not focusing

I believe that once you are in app manager you just swipe to the left and the catagories will change. The first is "downloaded", then "sd card", followed by "running", and finally the last one should be "all".

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Drunder40]

Re: Galaxy S5 camera not focusing

The camera in my new Galaxy S5 will not focus. A fix for this which I've seen several places on the web is: "You have to clear the camera app cache if you want from your camera app to take good quality photos and to focus correctly. To do this go to Settings > Application Manager > All Apps and then find the Camera app. Click on it and clear cache. This is like a factory reset for your camera." However, When I go to Settings > Applications > Application Manager (I must take the extra middle step to get there; perhaps my phone is a later model), I do not see anything called All Apps and cannot find the camera app there.

The camera is really no good if all the pictures are out of focus. Please advise...thanks.

I find that when taking pics in low light, it results in the camera taking very long to focus. I make sure there is plenty of light and/or make sure the flash is on.

 

[Detectionable]

Re: Galaxy S5 camera not focusing

You could also long press on the camera app icon and drag it up to "Info"

 

[Jdroids]

Re: Galaxy S5 camera not focusing

Go into camera setting and disable picture stabilization and enable tap to focus/shot. That way you can just tab on the screen where you want to focus and shoot instead of hitting shutter button. Also low light shot will be much faster.

 

[Charles Zigmund]

Re: Galaxy S5 camera not focusing

This was the simplest method in the replies, and it worked. Thanks to Jdroids and to the others who replied.

Why don't they put this stuff in the user manual?????

 

[Marlene Adelle]

Re: Galaxy S5 camera not focusing

My husband is having the same issue as Charles and I was hoping your suggestion would work but there is no image stabilization option in the settings. Upon further research, I learned that the latest update to Android 5.0 Lollipop deleted that function. Do you have any other suggestions? I'm glad your answer helped Charles but I have a feeling my husband will have to go back to BestBuy and have the Samsung rep or the Geek Squad figure it out for him. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated!

 

[lkoepke]

Re: Galaxy S5 camera not focusing

I searched various forums for solutions to my GS5 not focusing correctly to no avail, and and then my son asked me "Is there anything on the lens?". I turned the phone over, and sure enough, there was a square piece of clear plastic with a hole in the center sitting askew over the lens. The protective plastic that came with the phone when new had moved such that it was partially blocking the lens. Removal of the offending piece solved a problem that had been nagging me for several days. I also cleaned the lens with some isopropyl alcohol and a tissue to make sure that no adhesive was left behind. So nice to have such a smart son

 

[TwoPs]

Omg! Thankyou! I've just peeled off my sticker which has been on there for 13 months!!!! Hahahaaaa

 

[spiritsoul]

FINALLY - I got it to work. Go to camera settings and near bottom right > Reset settings > Yes. Then, focus on something (it will still be out of focus) and just tap on screen somewhere that you want to focus on (part of an object/scene), and, it'll focus, then take picture. Keep still as possible.

 

[vanda7991]

This has been very frustrating as I have a Vz grandfathered unlimited data and did not want to lose that. I paid full price for this phone and it only focused close up. I didn't want the phone replaced. They usually give refurbished back. There was no sticker on the lens making it blurry, that would have been so much easier to fix! Finally located a suggestion on the Verizon Wireless by customer support. Reset the camera app by going into settings, applications, application manager, Click on ALL (which is at the top, you slide to left where it says DOWNLOADED, then you'll see SD CARD, RUNNING and ALL.) Go to camera application. I had already cleared data and cleared cache and restarted the phone but this did not help. This time I clicked "Force Stop". Then I went into the next application called Camera Test and did the same thing, clearing the data and cache then clicked "Force Stop". Then powered the phone off and remove the battery for 30 seconds. ( I left out longer) Replaced the battery and cover and power phone back on and went to the camera...OMG it worked! The only thing I can think of is that when I got my new phone it updated to the latest OS and something got out of sync. I have no idea but this is what worked for me. The focus is SO clear, it looks great.

I sure hope this post helps someone else too because there doesn't seem to be very many people finding solutions.

follow up Note 7-4-2016
I recently did the update to Marshmallow> Camera is back to not focusing again. I repeated the above steps, Force Stop the camera, delete the cache. I did leave the battery out for about 3-4 minutes as the 30 seconds didn't fix it. After doing it all again and leaving the battery out longer my camera is working again.

 

[St Bob]

Tried everything and nothing works. Not holding my breath for a fix from samsung, those db's would rather we buy a newer model. And buying another model is what i aim to do, although it won't be another samsung. I like to make sure and spread the wealth, maybe with an iphone and see how long it takes them to bend me over...

 

[Debbie K1]

honestly i never quite figured out what that rotating
circle was in the middle of a close up shot till now. just figured out that if i tap on that the camera focuses. Duh. i swear i am so stupid